Basket and the like made from cardboard or similar sheet materials



April 13, 1954 w. E. HIGHAM 2,675,162 BASKET AND THE LIKE MADE FROM CARDBOARD 0R SIMILAR SHEET MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Feb. 17, 1955 By ayra w April 13, 1954 Filed Feb. 17, 1953 W. E. HIGHAM BASKET AND THE LIKE MADE FROM CARDBOARD OR SIMILAR SHEET MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor l/HTER E, HIGH/q A itorn e y April 13, 1954 w E HIGHAM 2,675,162

BASKET AND THE LIKE MADE FROM CARDBOARD OR SIMILAR SHEET MATERIALS Filed Feb. 17, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 22*? 25g i 0 L 0 .3 I

Altorney Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Walter E. Highani, Southsea,

England, assignor to J. Dring Limited, Portsmouth, England, a

British company Application February 17, 1953, Serial No. 337,403

Claims priority, application Great Britain September 5, 1952 9 Claims. 1

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to baskets and the like (all hereinafter referred to as baskets) made from blanks formed of self-supporting sheet materials such, for example, as cardboard, and has particular reference to baskets for fruits, mushrooms, or other soft goods or produce.

Hereinafter baskets and their blanks will be referred to as cardboard baskets and blanks and the term cardboard should be regarded as including cardboard, millboard, fibreboard and all similar self-supporting sheet materials suitable for the manufacture of baskets of the type in question, although cardboard itself will be the material ordinarily used for the baskets.

The invention aims at producing a simple and relatively inexpensive cardboard basket which can easily be transported in the flat or "knockeddown condition or alternatively in the erected empty condition, and according to this invention there is provided a basket primarily for fruit, mushrooms and other soft goods and made from a cardboard blank, such basket comprising a rectangular base; two similar side panels extending upwardly one from each of two opposite side edges of said base; two end panels extending upwardly one from each of the two opposite end edges of the said base; four wings, one extending from each side edge of each of said end panels and lying in overlapping pairs respectively over the two opposite side panels of the basket; and a cross bar extending across said basket at the upper part thereof and having each of its opposite ends interlockingly engaged respectively in one of said side panels and the overlapping pair of said wings thereon, thereby at least to assist in holding the basket in its erected condition and to constitute a carrying handle for the basket.

Preferably the basket is formed from a cardboard blank comprising a base panel, two side panels and two end panels, such side and end panels all being ioldably interconnected to the said base panel so as to be capable of being raised from their flat or collapsed condition into upstanding positions about the said base, said end panels also each having a ioldable wing at each side edge thereof and the pair of such wings at each side of the blank being adapted, in the erected basket, to lie over the corresponding side panel of the basket and to overlap one another at their free ends; and a cross-bar for interengagement near its ends with both of the said side panels and the said overlying and overlapping wings of the erected basket thereby to lock,

or assist in looking, the basket in the erected condition and to form a carrying handle for the basket.

Desirably the said blank is formed in one piece and is so shaped that, when erected, the basket is of downwardly convergent form so that, even after erection, but before the insertion of the handle, the erected baskets can be nested together, whereby a considerable number of the baskets can be stowed in relatively compact compass.

According to a further feature of the invention, the side panels of the basket are provided with slots which, in the erected basket, register with corresponding slots provided in the said wings of the ends of the basket, said slots being intended interlcckingly to receive the end portions of the handle-forming cross-bar of the basket.

The said cross-bar is preferably notched to interlock with parts of the said side panels and wings adjacent the cross-bar-receiving slots therein.

Preferably the cross-bar will be, at least at its end portions, of a stout strip-like form and of an approximately rectangular cross-section, the cross bar being, in use, positioned with its width vertically disposed, this width being wider than the length of the slots (which will, in this case, be vertically disposed) in the said side panels and wings, and the cross-bar being notched near each end at one edge, and being chanifered or rounded at each end at that corner most remote from the notch at the same end of the crossbar, whereby each end, of the crossbar can be obliquely introduced into the slots of the side panel and wings of the basket at the corresponding side of the basket to engage such side and wings, at one end of their said slots, in the corresponding notch of the cross-bar, the latter and the said sides and adjacent wings being relatively adjusted to permit the full introduction of the ends of the cross-bar into the side panels and wings to complete the locking of the crossbar in these parts, and to brace the basket.

The cross-bar may be formed from a sheet or blank of cardboard folded longitudinally upon itself at least once, this blank being provided with a transverse slot near each end to form the said notches.

The said crossbar-engaging slots may be formed in upward extensions or lugs of the side panels and wings of the basket so that the crossbar will be spaced above the top edges of the perimetrical walls of the basket when. the handle is applied to the latter, and the said wings preferably each only extend just over half-way along the length of the basket and have the major parts of their lower edges each diverging, in the erected basket, inwardly and upwardly from the plane of the base panel of the basket.

The basket is preferably furnished with ventilation holes and conveniently two rows of these would be provided in each side wall of the basket. These ventilation holes will preferably be provided in the said wings as well as in the side panels of the basket, those in the wings registering with at least some of those in the side panels when the basket is erected.

The basket is preferably Wire-stitched, stapled or otherwise suitably permanently secured in its erected condition and, conveniently, is only reinforced by the handle-forming cross-bar when required for use so that the erected baskets may be nested together until required for use. It will, however, be understood that the basket could be transported in the collapsed form and erected when required for use. It will be also understood that the cross-bar is self-locking in the basket and acts as a brace and a distance piece between the sides of the basket.

Although reference has been made to side and end panels, it should be understood that these may be of the same or diifering lengths and that whilst the side panels will usually be longer than the end panels, they could he the same length as the latter, or even shorter.

Further features of this invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood two embodiments of the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View from above of an erected basket constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the same basket;

Figure 3 is a plan of the blank from which the basket of Figures 1 and 2 is formed;

Figure 4 is a plan of the handle-forming crossbar of the basket illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 5 is a plan of a modified form of the blank shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be seen that the blank from which the basket of Figures 1 and 2 is formed is a one-piece blank of cardboard comprising a base panel 5, two side panels 2 and 3, two end-forming panels 5 and 5 and four wings 6, l, 8 and 9 extending cantilever-wise from the side edges of the end-forrning panels 4 and 5 respectively, all these panels and wings being integral with one another and hingedly interconnected by folding creases extending along the broken lines indicated in the drawings.

The base panel l is oblong and the two side panels 2 and 3 are basically in the form of syi metrical trapeziums with their longer edges parallel to the longitudinal side edges of the base panel I, the side panels 2 and 3 being arranged one on each side of the base panel l and having their longer edges most remote from the base panel. The end panels 4 and 5 are also in the form of basically symmetrical trapeziums and have their shorter edges joined to the ends of the base panel I.

Central lugs 19 and H project outwardly from 4 the outer edge of each of the side panels 2 and 3.

The Wings 6, l, 8 and 9 of the end panels 4 and 5 are of approximately T-shape, the base of the stem of each T-shaped wing being hingedly connected by a folding crease with the adjacent side edge of the corresponding end-forming panel and the said stern being of approxirnately truncated triangular form.

To give additional strength to the ultimate basket to be formed from the blank and further to enhance the character of the basket as well asto minimise wastage of the cardboard which lies outside the basic shape above de scribed, the blank is desirably furnished with a number of additional parts subsequently described, but even so the blank as a whole can be closely contained within a rectangle and can thus be cut from a rectangular sheet of cardboard.

in providing the blank with the said additional parts, the outer edge of each end-forming panel i and a is furnished with a substantially rectangular flap 12, whilst the outer edge of each of the wings 6, l, t and 9 is furnished with a similar rectangular flap l3, all these flaps l2 and 13 being connected to their respective panels or wings through the medium of rectilinear folding creases. Furthermore, each of the side panels 2 and 3 is furnished with two flaps l4 arranged one on either side of the lug It or IE, these fiaps being of the approximately trapezoidal or irregular polygonal form illustrated in the drawing.

The outermost portion E5 of the head portion it of each of the wings 6, T, 8 and 9 is adapted, in the erected basket, to register with one or the other of the lugs 50 and H of the side panels 2 and 3 of the blank and each of the said wing portions l5 and each of the lugs it and il is furnished with a central narrow oblong slot 25, all these slots registering with one another when the basket is erected and all having their longer imensions vertical in this condition of the basket. The said slots are for the reception of the end portions of a handle-forming cross-bar ll, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, and which is conveniently formed from a blank 58 of cardboard doubled upon itself (with or without including wood or other reinforcing strip therein) along a longitudinal central line so as to form a narrow stiif or stout rectangular strip-like member of rectangular cross-section which is used with its width disposed in a vertical plane as is obvious from Figures 1 and 2, this width being slightly greater than the depth (i. e. the inaximul dimension) of the slots 25.

Near each of its ends the handle-forming crossbar H has a rectangular notch 19 in its upper edge, this notch conveniently being produced by forming the blank H} with a transverse slot 2i) near each end. The said handle-forming crossbar is also cut away to a chamfered or rounded off form at 2i at each end at that lower corner most remote from, and diagonally opposite to, the notch H] at the same end of the cross-bar.

The side panels 2 and 3, the wings 5, "i. 8 and 9, and the flaps I'll are all provided with ventilation perforations 22 and these perforations, Where formed in the parts of the blank which overlap in the erected basket, are so located as to register with one another as seen from Figures 1 and 2.

To erect the basket the side panels 2 and 3 are raised into the upstanding positions in which they diverge slightly upwardly with respect to one another, next the flaps M of the side panels 2 and 3 are folded outwardly and downwardly on to the outer sides of the side panels, then the end panels 4 and 5 are bent up so that their side edges coincide with the end edges of the side panels 2 and 3, after which the wings of one of the end panels 4 and 5 are folded inwardly on to the side panels 2 and 3, and finally the wings of the other end panel are folded inwardly on to the said side panels with their free end portions overlapping the free end portions of the other two wings of the other end panel.

When the blank has been folded up in this way the portions l5 of the heads l6 of the wings 6, l, 8 and 9 register respectively with the lugs It and H of the side panels and the whole basket can then be locked in the erected position by first introducing one end of the handle-forming crossbar I! into one set of the said registering slots with the cross-bar in a downwardly directed oblique position at about 45 to the horizontal, the portions of the lugs ID and wing portions It, at the upper ends of the slots 25, being engaged in the adjacent notch l9 of the cross-bar l1 and the latter then being depressed, at the end remote from that engaged with the basket, downwardly in the plane of the width of the crossbar so as to cause the lower rounded corner H of the cross-bar to enter and pass through the said registering slots whereby the cross-bar will be locked in the overlying lugs of the side panel and portions of the adjacent wings. Then the second end of the cross-bar is similarly interengaged with the registering lugs and wing portions I 5 at the second side of the basket, it being necessary, to effect this interengagement, somewhat to distort the basket and, in particular, the said lugs and wing portions at the second side of the basket, out of their normal planes so as to produce an initially oblique relationship between this second end of the cross-bar and the adjacent lugs and thereby to enable these lugs of the cross-bar to be interengaged in a manner similar to that adopted at the other end of the cross-bar.

Finally, the flaps [3 of the wings 6, l, 8 and 9 are folded into horizontal positions at the top edge of the basket and then the flaps l2 of the end panels 4 and 5 are folded over on to the flaps l3, these flaps I2 and I3 forming a support for a lid (not shown) to be placed on the basket or as retaining means to hold down a lid placed below the flaps, as well as reinforcing the basket.

The side panels 2 and 3 and the overlying wings I, 9, and ii, 8 of the basket are preferably wirestitched or stapled together at a plurality of positions distributed over the area of the said side panels as indicated at 23 in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings in order more rigidly to secure the parts of the basket in their erected condi tions, this wire-stitching or stapling preferably being done before the handle-forming cross-bar I1 is placed in position.

As will be seen from the drawings the erected basket is of a downwardly and inwardly convergent form so that a number of the erected baskets may be nested one within the other before the flaps l2 and l3 are turned downwardly and before the cross-bar I7 is placed in position. Thus the baskets may be transported in a relatively small space even when erected but they may, of course, be transported or stored in still less space if the blanks are left in their flat condition as illustrated in Figure 3.

In a modified arrangement the flaps l2, l3 and I4 and the end portions (indicated at 24 in 6 Figure 3) could be omitted from the blank which would then be shaped as shown in Figure 5.

I claim:

1. A basket primarily for fruit, mushrooms and other soft goods and made from a cardboard blank, such basket comprising a rectangular base; two similar side panels extending upwardly one from each of two opposite side edges of said base; two end panels extending upwardly one from each of the two opposite end edges of the said base; four wings one extending from each side edge of each of said end panels and lying in overlapping pairs respectively over the two opposite side panels of the basket; and a cross bar of stout strip-like form extending across said basket at the upper part thereof and havin its opposite ends passed one through registering slots formed in one of the said side panels and the overlapping pair of wings lying thereon and the other through similar registering slots formed in the other of the said side panels and the overlapping wings lying thereon, said cross bar being wider than the maximum dimension of said slots, and the end portions of said cross-bar being notched for interlocking engagement with parts of the said side panels and overlapping wings adjoining the said slots, and the corners of the cross-bar diagonally opposite said notches being cut away to enable said notched end porticns of the cross-bar to be introduced into said slots and adjusted relatively to the said side panels and wings to effect the said. interlocking of the cross-bar with the latter, thereby at least to assist in retaining the basket in its erected condition and to constitute a carrying handle for the basket.

2. A basket primarily for fruit, mushrooms and other soft goods and made from a cardboard blank, such basket comprising a rectangular base; two similar side panels extending upwardly divergently one from each of two opposite side edges of said base; two end panels extending upwardly divergently one from each of the two opposite end edges of the said base; four similar wings, each, less in length than either of said side panels, extending one from each side edge of each of said end panels and lying in overlapping pairs respectively over the two opposite side panels of the basket; a lug extending upwardly from each said side panel and a correspondingly located lug extending upwardly from each of the said overlapping Wings lying on said side panel, and all the said lugs having vertically disposed registering slots of narrow oblong form; and a removable cross-bar of stout strip-dike form and narrow oblong cross-section and extendin across said basket at the upper part thereof and having its opposite ends passed one through the registering slots of the said lugs of one of the said side panels and the overlapping pair of wings lying thereon and the other through the registering slots of the lugs of the other of the said side panels and overlapping wings lying thereon, said cross-bar being wider than the maximum dimension of said slots, and the end portions of said cross-bar being transversely notched for interlocking engagement with parts of the said side panels and overlapping wings adjoining the said slots, and the corners of the cross bar diagonally opposite said notches being cut away to enable said notched end portions of the cross-bar to be introduced into said slots and adjusted relatively to the said side panels and wings to effect the said interlocking of the cross-bar with the latter, thereby at least to assist in retaining the basket in its erected condition and to constitute a carrying handle for the basket.

3. A basket primarily for fruit, mushrooms and other soft goods and made from a cardboard blank, such basket comprising a rectangular base; two similar side panels extending upwardly divergently one from each of two opposite side edges of said base; two end panels extending upwardly divergently one from each of the two opposite end edges of the said base; four similar T- shaped wings each less in length than either of said side panels and extending one from each side edge of each of said end panels and lying in overlapping pairs respectively over the two opposite side panels of the basket; said wings having their head parts located centrally of the length of the basket and vertically disposed; a lug extending centrally upwardly from each of said side panels and registering with the upper lug-forming portions of the adjoining head parts of the overlapping wings lying on the side panel and all the said lugs having registering vertically disposed slots of narrow oblong form; and a removable cross-bar of stout strip-like form and narrow oblong cross-section and extending across said basket at the upper part thereof and having its opposite ends passed one through the registering slots of the said lugs of one of the said side panels and the overlapping pair of wings lying thereon and the other through the registering slots of the lugs of the other of the said side panels and overlapping wings lyin thereon, said cross-bar being Wider than the maximum dimension of said slots and the end portions of said cross-bar being transversely notched for interlocking engagement with parts of the said side panels and overlapping wings adjoining the said slots, and the corners of the cross-bar diagonally opposite said notches being cut away to enable said notched end portions of the cross-bar to be introduced into said slots and adjusted relatively to the said side panels and wings to effect the said interlocking of the cross-bar with the latter, thereby at least to assist in retaining'the basket in its erected condition and to constitute a carrying handle for the basket.

4. A casket constructed according to claim 3, wherein the said handle-forming cross bar is formed by a substantially rectangular strip of cardboard having rounded corners, a transverse closed symmetrically disposed slot near each end, and doubled upon itself along its longitudinal centre line.

5. A basket'constructed according to claim 3, wherein each of the said side panels has a downturned flap on either side of the said central lug oi the panel, these down-turned lugs of each side panel being trapped between the latter and the overlapping wings lying thereon.

6. A basket constructed according to claim 3, wherein the said side and end panels have inturned narrow flaps along their upper edges.

7. A basket constructed according to claim 3, wherein the said side panels and the overlapping wings lying thereon are provided with registering ventilation holes.

8. A basket constructed according to claim 3, wherein the said side panels and the overlapping wings lying thereon are secured together at a plurality of positions distributed over the area thereof.

9. For use in the construction of a cardboard basket primarily for fruit, mushrooms, and other soft goods, a blank comprising a rectangular base-forming panel; two similar symmetrical trapezium-shaped side panels and two similar symmetrical trapezium-shaped end panels respectively hinged by their shorter longitudinal edges to the side and end edges of said baseforming panel and all capable of being raised into upstanding positions around said base; a laterally extending wing hingedly connected to each side edge of each of said end panels and each slightly greater in length than half the length of the said side panels and adapted, when the said sid and end panels have been raised, to be folded inwards on to said side panels with the free end portions of the pair of wings which lie on the same side panel, overlapping one another; a lug on each of said side panels extending outwardly from the outer free longitudinal edge of such side panel at the centre of the length of the panel and a similar lug on each of said wings at its outer longitudinal edge and the lug of each said side panel and those on the wings adapted to lie on said panel all being adapted to register with one another when the basket is erected, and all having registering narrow oblong slots, and said end panels and said Wings each having a narrow flap hingedly connected thereto along its outer edge and adapted to be turned horizontally inwards in the erected basket and said side panels each having a hinged flap arranged on each side of the said central lug and adapted to be turned over on to the outside of their side panel when the basket is erected so as to be trapped between this panel and the said overlying wings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 883,355 Bloomer Apr. 7, 1908 925,938 McCleery June 22, 1909 934,485 Wagner Sept. 21, 1909 1,157,285 Bachmann Oct. 19, 1915 2,117,502 Reich May 17, 1938 2,373,408 Morris Apr. 10, 1945 

